We love a good friendship story—especially when it derives from the Hey! VINA app! If you’ve been following our VINA success stories, you know we’ve connected a diverse array of vinas who were missing their milk to their cookies, vinas Leandré and Ntse included. VINAZINE contributor Leandré writes about her VINA success story below!
I’m usually the one to reach out first, so I was excited when Ntse initiated the conversation on the app back in March. The first thing she said to me was: ‘I see you’re crazy, and I’m fun crazy, too!” I immediately thought, “This girl has got me!”
We immediately struck up a friendship and had so much in common. We spoke almost every day… mostly because we comment on every single status of each other! She works in the fashion industry (basically my dream job except I have no fashion sense), she works out, she has so much fun, her sense of humor is just on another level.
On WhatsApp, she is totally herself. Completely open and vulnerable and lets people into her life and her thoughts. I admired it. On Instagram, she is a dreamy beauty who regularly posts pics of those GORGEOUS nails. On Facebook, she is ridiculously funny AF with a meme every now and again … just as you think it’s gonna be a bad day… Ntse’s feed is locked and loaded to get you to do that ugly laugh!
We messaged each other for MOOONTHS before we finally set up that first meeting. We booked the day and as per usual, on the day of, we were both not feeling it. This is another thing we have in common. We are always the plan makers, then want to wiggle out because all of a sudden we’d rather be at home in bed, then go out anyway (because we suck at feeling guilty) and have a better time than EVERYONE there!!
So we met one night in a shady student bar … which I LOVE! Ntse’s friends were so awesome and she knows everyone. Her friends and I immediately took so well to each other. We laughed and talked about everything. We drank oddly named cocktails and shooters. We laughed at our foreheads and took a picture of them. (Side note—follow Ntse’s forehead on insta @headofthehouse_; it’s an account set up by her uber-cool sister in honor of her brilliance).
She also told me that she started writing a blog a couple of years ago about her experience as a black teenage girl in South Africa with a mental disorder. We had a surreal moment and I decided that I have to read it. Her writings are captivating, thought-provoking and honestly, some of the most heart-wrenching stuff I’ve read. One day, when she’s ready, I’ll share it with you.
Our chat history mostly consists of funny GIFs, motivational memes, pictures of our shoes and nails, billions and billions of ROTFL emojis, memojis and health advice….and the occasional “when are we hanging out again?” message.
I could tell you more, but the bottom line is she’s a really cool woman and I am so lucky to have her in my circles. She’s really beautiful inside and out and I am so happy that she is in my life.
Thanks for sharing, Leandre! Vinas, are you ready to meet your future best vina? Download the Hey! VINA app and start swiping today. If you have your own VINA success story you want to share, we can’t wait to hear it! Submit it here.
VINAZINE 